The Supercup. It was played in February 1987 – no matter what, this duel was unable to find permanent place in the European calendar. This was the first – and only – East European or Communist, if you like, contest of the Supercup. Politics can be hardly separated from the ‘innocent’ universe of sports – USSR and Romania were in the same boat and were not… twenty years earlier one could safely bet on Soviet victory, but now Romania was hardly a puppet. If one wants to play politics… then it was a clash between KGB and Ceausescu’s family. Add Ukrainian Communist Party interests, somewhat at odds with the Moscow-run Soviet interests. Add Romanian Army, led in sporting terms by Ceausescu’s son via his absolute control of Steaua vs Romanian version of the KGB, represented by Dinamo (Bucharest). All played by nationalism, so wider support for both Dinamo and Steaua was gathered together. All of that played a role, but it was football after all two currently great teams met on the pitch – in sporting terms, a contest for purely football superiority. Which was taking place not at the best time – in February neither team was at its top form, both between seasons and training for the still to come regular championship. Perhaps Dinamo was in a bit of disadvantage – their new season was yet to come, new players to be included in the playing scheme, no official games for some time. Steaua hardly had a break – they played for the Intercontinental Cup in December and had to keep their form for the Supercup in mind, so they hardly had a vacation. May be in better fighting form, but tired. Political intrigues apart, if only slightly, the Cup was contested in Monaco, in February, between East European teams, so… under 9000 viewers showed up. True, neither Soviet citizens, nor Romanians could go, and France in general, including Monaco, was hardly football-crazy, but the attendance was just one more testament to the old problem of the Supercup: in the eyes of the fans, it was not a real trophy.
The match itself was lively. Dinamo tried as much as they could, still in the great form they displayed in 1986, but so was Steaua, even a bit better. Hagi was on the field – the first big game he actually played for Steaua – and his performance was crucial at the end. Both teams had prepared themselves well – they studied their opponent carefully and Steaua went to Italy for some friendlies with this match in mind. At the end, Steaua was better prepared – since both teams practiced attacking football, neutralizing the opposition was essential. Steaua pressured Dinamo on the whole field, trying and succeeding to block and distinguish Dinamo’s early assault. With time, Steaua’s concept proved well thought of – Romanian counter-attacks were more dangerous and they defended better. Dinamo was flying when they were able to attack relentlessly on high speed. They were a bit vulnerable when defending and off-balance when the Romanians slowed down the tempo. Yet, it was fairly equal game.
Even poses suggest difference – the frantic urgency of Belanov and the rather calm approach of the Romanian defender.
Dinamo may appeared a bit stronger to some eyes – after all, it was unusual even than to see Hagi in defensive role and beaten by Yakovenko here – but Steaua was more versatile team and tactically richer. Small differences, even chance, could win the match – that became clear early.
Small differences require masters to explore and use them – a minute before the end of the first half Hagi executed precise and deadly free-kick and scored. Soviet observers pointed out that Chanov and his defenders made a small mistake when organizing their wall: left a vulnerable spot, Hagi saw it and directed the ball exactly there. That was the winning difference – no other goals were scored to the end and Steaua won 1-0.
Stade Louis II, Monte Carlo, 24 Feb 1987, att 8456
Steaua Bucuresti (1) 1 Dinamo Kiev (0) 0
44′ 1-0 SB: Hagi
Steaua Bucuresti: Stîngaciu; Iovan, Bumbescu, Stoica, Barbulescu, Belodedici, Bölöni, Balan, Hagi (Balint 84), Lacatus (Majaru 89), Piturca
Dinamo Kiev: Chanov; Bal, Baltacha, Kuznetsov, Demianenko, Yevtushenko, Yakovenko, Rats, Belanov (Mikhailitchenko 50), Zavarov (Morozov 77), Blokhin
Referee: Agnolin (Italy)
Dinamo was hoping to win a second Supercup and to become the third club winning the trophy twice, but it did not happen. The squad playing in Monaco left no photo of itself, so this one, from December 1986, must do. Left to right: Demyanenko, Chanov, Baltacha, Blokhin, Yakovenko, Bessonov, Zavarov, Evtushenko, Kuznetzov, Mukhaylichenko, Evseev, Ratz, Belanov. It was still the same squad – Bessonov and Evseev did not play against Steaua, which perhaps an important absence only in the case of Bessonov. Evseev was never a regular anyway. The Cup Winners Cup squad without changes, but without improvement either – the good news was there was no drop of form; the bad news – no building upon what they had already. Tactically, it was not richer team – it was the same, professing only speedy attacking football. Perhaps the price for not becoming more tactically flexible team was paid by losing the Supercup.
Triumphal Steaua with the Supercup. Top, from left: Dumitru Stingaciu, Stefan Iovan, Victor Piturca, Antal Weisenbacher, Mihail Majearu, Gavril Balint, Adrian Bumbescu, Ioan Kramer, Blio. Bottom: Ladislau Boloni, Miodrag Belodedici, Gheorge Hagi, Tudorel Stoica, Lucian Balan, Ilie Barbulescu, Marius Lacatus. Steaua lost the Intercontinental Cup in December 1986, but won the European Supercup, proving once for all that it was not just lucky one-time wonder. Unlike Dinamo, Steaua made some changes between winning the Champions Cup in the spring of 1986 and the Supercup final in 1987: now Hagi was in line and leading, a major addition. The other one looked suspect at first, but already skeptics were silenced – the great coach Jenei moved to the national team and replaced by young and inexperienced Iordanescu. He was still a player in the spring of 1986, playing at the great European final. Always a risky option to have coach, who the players know as teammate, but it worked and Iordanescu immediately showed great coaching talent – there was no drop of form, no radical change of style, disrupting the way players were used to, no big changes in the squad, so to remove former teammates who might be undisciplined and disruptive. Under Iordanescu Steau continued to be very strong and entertaining team, equal to the best in the world and certainly going to stay strong. And with Hagi at hand… sky was the limit. Winning the Supercup just boosted moral and confidence.